New International Version
1 Kings 21:25
25(There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife.
1 Kings 21:25 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
- English Standard Version (ESV)(There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the Lord, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up.
- New Living Translation (NLT)(No one else so completely sold himself to what was evil in the Lord’s sight as Ahab did under the influence of his wife Jezebel.
Context of 1 Kings 21:25
23“And also concerning Jezebel the Lord says: ‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ 24“Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds will feed on those who die in the country.” (There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. 26He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel.) 27When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.
Read all of 1 Kings 211 Kings 21:25 word by word
רַ֚ק לֹֽא־הָיָ֣ה כְאַחְאָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִתְמַכֵּ֔ר לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־הֵסַ֥תָּה אֹת֖וֹ אִיזֶ֥בֶל אִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But there was none like unto Ahabאַחְאָב'ach'âb 'echâb · AhabH256
- which did sellמָכַרmâkar · to sellH4376
- himself to workעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- wickednessרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
- in the sightעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- whom Jezebelאִיזֶבֶל'îyzebel · JezebelH348
- his wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- stirred upסוּתsûth · to inciteH5496
Cross-references for 1 Kings 21:25
- 1 Kings 21:20Ahab said to Elijah, “So you have found me, my enemy!” “I have found you,” he answered, “because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord.
- 1 Kings 16:30Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him.
- 2 Kings 23:25Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.
- 2 Kings 17:17They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sought omens and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.
- Isaiah 50:1This is what the Lord says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of my creditors did I sell you? Because of your sins you were sold; because of your transgressions your mother was sent away.
- Isaiah 52:3For this is what the Lord says: “You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed.”
- Romans 6:19I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness.
- Romans 7:14We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.
- 1 Kings 21:7Jezebel his wife said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
- 1 Kings 11:1King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites.
- 1 Kings 16:31He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him.
- 1 Kings 18:4While Jezebel was killing off the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.)
- 1 Kings 19:2So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
- Proverbs 22:14The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit; a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it.
- Ecclesiastes 7:26I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare.
- Mark 6:17For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 21:25
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 25Did sell himself to work wickedness - He hired himself to the devil for this very purpose, that he might work wickedness. This was to be his employment, and at this he labored. In the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up - A good wife is from the Lord; a bad wife is from the devil: Jezebel was of this kind; and she has had many successors.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 25whom Jezebel stirred up - The history of Ahab‘s reign throughout exhibits him as completely governed by his imperious wife. Instances of her influence are seen in 1 Kings 21:7, 1 Kings 21:15, marginal reference, 1 Kings 18:4; 1 Kings 19:2.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-29Verses 17-29 Blessed Paul complains that he was sold under sin, Ro 7:14, as a poor captive against his will; but Ahab was willing, he sold himself to sin; of choice, and as his own act and deed, he loved the dominion of sin. Jezebel his wife stirred him up to do wickedly. Ahab is reproved, and his sin set before his eyes, by Elijah. That man's condition is very miserable, who has made the word of God his enemy; and very desperate, who reckons the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 25-26The author pauses his story to highlight Ahab's evil nature, criticize the king's dedication to idol worship, and blame him for being influenced by his wife Jezebel. Jezebel, who was wicked, would do anything to get what she wanted (1 Kings 18:4; 19:1–2; 21:5–10, 15). Although she remained arrogant and defiant until the end (2 Kings 9:30–31), she eventually faced her foretold fate (1 Kings 21:23; 2 Kings 9:32–37).Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 21:25
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Kings 21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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